With Rand Paul’s filibuster, and subsequent fawning devotion of his slobbering fans, and far right talking heads & pundits who are incapable of picking a principle and standing on it, the Koch Machine libertarian take-over of the GOP is near complete. Long live the anti-Christian philosophy of Ayn Rand. It is now all about corruption, personal greed, adoration of cruelty, dishonor, and everything the GOP once despised. The Kochs have been trying to either destroy the GOP or take it over since their Fred Koch (Dances with Stalin) was not welcomed within its ranks.

So, Charles & David Koch went out and bought them a little political party. Heck, they’re worth a combined fifty billion or so, so why not. Their bank account sounds like that placard on the Golden Arches, Billions and Billions sold – billions and billions, to purchase a political party. Sure, it’s legal, but it sure isn’t ethical.

Ethics don’t bother libertarians. They don’t bother the Koch Machine, and the certainly don’t bother the father and son libertarian duo of Ron & Rand Paul. Libertarians are now thinking that their time has come, that they now control the GOP.

“…“You literally saw the shift happen over the course of the day,” Doherty said. “It started with Rand Paul, and then it was just [Sens.] Mike Lee and Ted Cruz. And then you had people like Marco Rubio and Saxby Chambliss joining in. And by the end of it, [Republican Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell was on the floor saying he was going to block [CIA Director John] Brennan’s confirmation, and [RNC Chairman] Reince Priebus was tweeting that Senators should go join Rand Paul.”

“Who knows, maybe in two years, the filibuster won’t seem like a big deal,” he added. “But today, it feels like everything has changed. Today, it feels like the Republican Party is different.”

Doherty conceded that, for some conservatives, the embrace of Paul’s civil liberties argument may be chalked up to antagonism toward the Obama administration. But, he added, “if that’s what it takes to get Rush Limbaugh to say that he agrees with Rand Paul, that he’s open to these ideas, I’ll take it.” …”

Now, Rand Paul Republicans, are ticked with John McCain who had the audacity to state that he is more representative of the party of Reagan Republicans than Rand Paul. For those who have very short memories, amnesia, or are just plain intellectually dishonest, Ronald Reagan would have nothing to do with Ayn Rand. Neither would William F. Buckley. Neither had any tolerance for the John Birch Society or Ayn Rand. William F. Buckley once wrote that what he feared most was when the two forces joined together. He felt if that were to happen, it would be the end of democracy in this country.

“…For Ron Paul, none of that matters. The party is basically irrelevant, because it operates within a broken system. Everything that he said was wrong with Republicans is also what he feels to be wrong with US democracy as a whole. Paul said Friday that McCain’s (and Senator Lindsey Graham’s) response to the filibuster was “very risky.”

There is a risk in keeping the GOP as it is, of course. It may become a perpetual loser. But shifting it ever further into a Ron Paul-like state could be equally problematic, opening it up to the same paradox he gives to society at large: that in order to improve itself, it should do more and more of the things that will eventually lead to its destruction….”

Libertarians are joyful that their ideology is now taking control of the GOP. True libertarians, the pot smokers, etc. see this as a great moment for the rise of individual rights in this country and the GOP. If nothing else, this proves they have been smoking way too much weed, and no nothing about the true nature of Rand Paul’s associates.

“...That said: if Rand Paul’s historic filibuster signals the rise of the Libertarian wing of the Republican Party, and that’s coupled with genuine concern about civil liberties, I see it as a hopeful sign for their party and the country. Then maybe Democrats can do the job they’re supposed to do and talk about the problems inherent in the pooling the majority of wealth into a few hands, and what to do about that. Then we might even start to see compromises brokered to help move toward a better future. What a concept, eh?…”

These people don’t give a damn about civil liberties. These are the same people who brought you Ted Cruz, the war on women, and a return to a climate of bigotry. Gays and lesbians are to be outcasts, with no role in our society. They do not approve of the minimum wage.

“...He also compared the idea that women and men should be paid the same for equal work to Soviet Russia. He believes that the free market should be allowed to determine what individuals should get paid. …”

Huffington Post

They think that corporations are people. They don’t believe in any sort of rule or regulation – for big business. The earth is theirs to destroy and pollute. We the Little People of the United States of America are there to be oppressed, treated like dirt and turned into serfs.

Freedom and civil liberties for whom?

Salon

These are men, primarily, who are supported by the John Birch Society. They are the darlings of the NRA and the little guys in those pointy white hats. Just a little FYI. Bruce Bartlett wrote:

“…“In short, the libertarian philosophy of Rand Paul and the Supreme Court of the 1880s and 1890s gave us almost 100 years of segregation, white supremacy, lynchings, chain gangs, the KKK, and discrimination of African Americans for no other reason except their skin color. The gains made by the former slaves in the years after the Civil War were completely reversed once the Supreme Court effectively prevented the federal government from protecting them.”…”

The Pink Flamingo does not approve of abortion. I think abortion for birth control purposes is little more than murder. I think it is necessary in some cases. Rand Paul, who is now the darling of civil libertarians everywhere thinks that 14th Amendment rights should be extended to a fetus. The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act is a violation of the civil liberties of minors, no matter which side of the abortion issue you take. Once again, I think there are some very rare moments when someone needs to get a child who has been raped, abused by a family member and pregnant out of the situation and get the poor creature an abortion. If not, her life, already shattered, is ruined.

The new darling of the libertarian right, and the next best ‘hype’ for the GOP isn’t even familiar with the details anti-abortion bill he sponsored.

Civil liberties, candidate Rand Paul did not approve of the Civil Right’s Act.

“...Mr. Paul, in a series of television and radio interviews, suggested that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was too broad and should not apply to private businesses, such as luncheonettes. As his statements drew a swarm of attacks from his opponents, Mr. Paul issued a statement declaring that he would not support repealing the landmark 1964 statute and blaming political opponents for trying to distort his views by saying he favored repeal.

“Let me be clear: I support the Civil Rights Act because I overwhelmingly agree with the intent of the legislation, which was to stop discrimination in the public sphere and halt the abhorrent practice of segregation and Jim Crow laws,” he said. Later, in an interview on CNN, he said that if he had been in the Senate in 1964, he would have supported the act….”

The way libertarians and liberals are praising Rand Paul for his support of civil liberties is puzzling. When it comes to libertarians, The Pink Flamingo wonders just what they are smoking. This man epitomizes the hard right libertarian John Birch philosophy. There are no civil liberties for anyone but those who embrace them.

If I were a political movement, I would not want Rand Paul as the face of it. Then again, he is kosher tea party, hand picked, bought and paid for by the Koch Machine. The Pink Flamingo just isn’t getting the whole civil liberties thing with the man. There is nothing civil about his desire to limit our liberties.

The libertarians who are destroying our party are not normal libertarians. They have basically nothing to do with libertarians and everything to do with the fact that, years ago, Fred Koch was not able to take over the GOP. He became a John Birch ‘libertarian’. His sons attempted to turn the Libertarian Party into their own little playground and dominate as libertarians, but failed. There just weren’t enough libertarians to vote for them. So, they have taken over the GOP.

The tea parties are an invention of these men, as is Freedom Works. Rand Paul, their Slut de Jour appears to be their chose dupe to destroy the GOP even farther than did Mitt Romney. The Pink Flamingo is among those who think that is the intent here, to destroy the GOP. If not, they’re sure doing a good job of it. We’re dealing with a group of men (primarily) who are either trying to destroy the GOP or are incapable of comprehending the disaster they are creating. Either way, neither excuse is acceptable.

Also, the Violence Against Women Act is a grievous assault on civil liberties. No one should have voted for the blasted thing, least of all anyone who supports the 14th amendment or basic due process rights. Much like a lot of horrible legislation, just because it has a name that’s hard to argue with, that doesn’t make it legislation that any civil libertarian should support. No one should support this thing, least of all anyone who wants to stop domestic violence.

Many of the other points you raise are why I don’t call myself a libertarian. It would be nice to see this surge by the Paulites countered by an anti-corporate move among Democrats, but I won’t be holding my breath.

jose maria

A lot of good bills get messed up in Congress because of the additions and pork added to them. Both parties are guilty of this. They both try to promote their own agendas. Senators and Representatives are not alway wrong when they vote against a bill even though the bill itself is good.

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"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”--Sinclair Lewis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SJ Reidhead (aka The Pink Flamingo) is a writer based in New Mexico. The author of two published novels, both westerns: Dust Devil and The Second Mrs. Earp and two published works of non-fictions: TRAVESTY: Frank Waters Earp Agenda Exposed and A Church for Helldorado, Endicott Peabody's 1882 Tombstone Diary. One of the leading authorities on the life of Wyatt Earp and Tombstone during the Earp years, she is currently writing a series of murder mysteries set in modern day Tombstone. The author is also working on a book about fashion in the Wild West. When complete, there will be over 2100 unpublished antique photographs dating from 1855-1910.

The author's work has appeared in Wild West, True West, Blogcritics, and The Tombstone Times. Recently the author has had to deal with a father in Stage 4 Alzheimer's Disease. This is leading to a book dealing with the frustrations of dealing with the frustrations of the disease, finance, legal, health-care, and things no one bothers telling families about it.

SJ Reidhead has been involved in Republican politics since she was 'a little kid'. During the Reagan years she was a lobbyist working with various non-profit organizations who were attempting to salvage NASA and the American space program after the disastrous Carter years. Unfortunately, because of the libertarian take-over of the GOP, and the rise of the Tea Parties, as the Republican Party becomes more and more extreme and marginalized, it is impossible to remain loyal to the GOP. The Pink Flamingoremains GOP in order to try to bring the party back to what it once was. I fear it is an impossible task.

The Pink Flamingo went on line on October 4, 2005, after the author realized "normal" Republicans were being marginalized as the extreme far right attempts to become the new normal. In November, 2012, The Pink Flamingo, for the first time ever, voted for a Democrat, Barack Obama. Normal will never again apply to the GOP.

THE PINK FLAMINGO STORY

It started out as a joke. During the seven years I worked with the girls of my parish, leading a youth group, one of the things that I stressed were manners. Part of having manners, the way I see it, is to know how to set a proper table, host a party, cater it, and clean up afterward. I was fortunate enough to have a group of very talented girls in my youth group. They learned how to plan for, and execute large church functions, very properly. During one such function I noticed there were several incredibly tacky pink flamingos sitting on the table. Knowing the girls were up to something, I said nothing. A few months later they did the same thing at a function I was hosting at my home. I said nothing. They had a birthday party for me. More pink flamingos appeared - and a joke was born.

Thanks to the girls, all of whom are now grown, I have a collection of pink flamingos. It has become an ongoing joke. When I began working on my political blog, I realized the only possibly title was The Pink Flamingo!